you don't have to act like you're alone
by maraudering-soldierandspy
Summary: (i know all about you) - They have one of the best partnerships there are on SHIELD. It's not a question on why people think they're together. Series of Nat x Steve drabbles and one-shots. Prompts are very much welcome. / fic title is from Birdy's All About You /
1. I: definitely annoying

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Avengers, and anything Marvel related.**

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Natasha Romanoff expected to wake up at exactly 6:00 am refreshed and on the top pf her toes. She had, after all, went straight to her bed (after a quick shower, of course) after a grueling two-week mission in Dubai. She had definitely slept her fill seeing as she had come back to the Avengers tower at about 4 in the afternoon. What she did not expect was waking up with the digital clock on her nightstand blaring the numbers 12:13, feeling cold and with an aching head.

Groaning, Natasha pushed herself up on her bed only to hear the door of her floor in the Avengers Tower being opened. The spy automatically reached for the gun under her pillow as a reflex, albeit a little slower than she would have preferred and pointed it at the still closed door of her bedroom.

"I know you've got your gun up but it's only me, Nat," a rather amused voice of Steve Rogers told her.

Natasha considerably relaxed but pointed her gun again at the closed door of her room. "Well, how do you know that I still won't shoot you, Rogers? You didn't knock."

"I did knock! Maybe you just didn't hear it. We were all worried when you didn't appear for breakfast, gym, and now lunch." Steve still did not appear on the doorway and Natasha's arms were getting tired for some reason so she put her gun down.

"You sure that they were all worried or you just missed me? And what's taking you so long Cap, are you suddenly lost in my floor?"

"Maybe I did miss you," Steve replied. Natasha could not help the warm feeling she felt in her chest. _Stop it_ , she chided herself. "And I'm not lost, I'm just carrying something," he continued.

The door to her room finally opened, showing Steve who had his hands full - literally. He was carrying what she can identify as a basket with food inside (from what she could smell anyway), a foldable table, a pitcher of water, and a couple of plates and glasses. _But why are there two Steves?_ She shook her head, trying to shake off the dizziness that was threatening to overwhelm her.

"I brought you lunch. Well, for the two of us, really. It's been weeks since we last talked, what with our crazy mission schedules and all," her partner sheepishly explained while setting up the table.

Natasha couldn't help the small smile that appeared on her face. "I knew it! You missed me. I'm really growing on you, Rogers, eh?" Steve looked up from what he was doing to answer Natasha's teasing. "Well I - Natasha, you're sick!"

Steve immediately went to Natasha's side. _How did he know that I'm not feeling well?_ She wanted to tell him that she's on her top condition but decided to tell him the truth anyway. "Steve, I just have a headache. No need to fuss. Let's eat?"

Her partner, however, refused to change the subject. "Nat, have you seen yourself on a mirror lately?"

"Yeah, yeah, I look terrible. I just woke up though, stop rubbing it in."

"You have chicken pox."

"You sure do - I have a what?!"

"Chicken pox. You have little red pustules on your face, and that definitely is a sign of having chicken pox." Steve gingerly held her arm and pushed her sweater sleeve up. She saw the pustules he just described and nearly cursed. He then put his hand over her forehead. "You're burning up too. Definitely chicken pox," he sighed.

The soldier stood up from kneeling on her bedside and turned to leave.

 _Well, that hurt._ Natasha knew what she had was contagious, but she didn't expect Steve to leave her side that easily. _So much for missing me._

Natasha decided to dwell with her (forbidden and unallowed) feelings later and focus on filling her complaining stomach first. _At least the amount of food that Cap brought will be able to fill me for both lunch and dinner,_ she thought.

She piled the food on her plate, realizing just how famished she was. Just when the redhead was about to take her first bite, the door to her room opened again.

It was Steve, this time carrying medicine and ointment.

"Just leave it there, then go," she told him, pointing to her nightstand.

Steve was confused at the coldness of her voice. "What? You don't actually think that I'll just leave you here alone right? And scoot over, I'm hungry too."

"Just get your plate then leave."

Steve, being the annoying guy he was (that's what Natasha says, anyway), ignored the command and sat beside her, filling his plate.

"Steve get out! You'll just get sick too!" Honestly, just what should she need to do to get his stubborn (and annoying) ass to leave?

"Super soldier, remember?" _Definitely annoying._

"I was injected with a variant of your serum and I still got infected with the damn chicken pox. Just get out," she glared at him.

"Natasha, if you're worried that I'll get sick, I won't. Once you had it, you won't get infected with chicken pox again. I was a thin, sickly man before the serum. Do you actually think that it was not one of the long list of illnesses that I had the opportunity to encounter before?" Steve's blue eyes searched for her green ones as he spoke. "Let me take care of you."

Natasha can tell Steve's sincerity. After all, everything about the Captain is genuine. But she couldn't let herself fall more deeply towards the man that was her complete opposite. It was better to suffer alone than let herself (and Steve, she knows deep in her heart) to be compromised.

She steeled her gaze. "I don't need your damn care, Steve Rogers. Just leave."

"Drop your act for once, Nat," he sighed.

"Fine. You won't leave? Then I will." Natasha turned to stand up and leave with her half-finished plate of food on her hands when Steve stopped her by the shoulder.

"Just what the hell is your prob -" Her protest was cut off by the feeling of Steve's lips on hers. It was a simple, chaste, and short peck on the lips, and Natasha found herself out of words.

"Natasha. Just let me take care of you. Please." The said lady was an expert in reading the emotions of a person with his or her eyes. And in that moment, with Steve's eyes locked on hers, she could read that they were full of concern, care, _and dare she say it?,_ love.

Natasha knew that Steve won their argument from the moment he first walked on her doorway, carrying the medicine and ointment. Love is for children, she once said. But maybe she deserves to be childish for once in a while, right? _Besides, being sick brings out the childness of a person,_ she mused.

Steve looked on, never breaking his gaze. He decidedly relaxed when he saw the soft yet playful gaze that Natasha always reserves for him.

"Fine," she conceded, crossed her arms, and glared at him jokingly. "But no telling Stark and Barton."

The soldier saluted at her.

"Yes ma'am."

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 **This is my first Romanogers fic, so please excuse me for any inconsistencies. Just write a review on what I have done wrong, and I will try to correct that mistake. (just write 'em respectfully please, heh)**

 **Anyway, this will be a collection of (majorly) Romanogers one-shots, and I would appreciate it if you would leave prompts for me to work on. Just a warning that I'm not that great at angsty fics, but I would strive to complete your requests.**

 **Until then, see you! :)**


	2. II: unincidental distraction

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Avengers, and anything Marvel related.**

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"So you mean to tell me, that we have no shot, none at all, of the ballet performance yesterday?"

If there was one person (besides his mother) that Steve Rogers hated to anger or disappoint, it was Pepper Potts. Sure, the woman won't hold a grudge (that's what she says anyway), but the guilt on letting her down will eventually make you crumble and cater to her whim afterwards (that's what Tony says, anyway). Steve _never_ angered or disappointed Pepper for all the years that he knew her, but just by his luck, he managed to do both in a single day.

Steve could see Tony massaging Pepper's shoulders, trying to make her relax. "I'm really sorry Pepper. I can't and won't make some stupid alibi, but I'm really _really_ sorry. I guess I just got... distracted?" Wanda quirked an eyebrow at his response and he inwardly groaned, knowing he'll be prodded by the girl later.

Honestly? It was all Peter's fault. The freshman was supposed to be the one in charge to take shots of everything happening on the stage; Steve was positioned at the back of the gymnasium. But that kid, _that hopelessly infatuated kid_ , just can't bear to be without his _best friend_ (they all know Mary Jane Watson's not just a best friend to him) that he opted for the spot at the back. This left the stage for Steve to photograph, to which he did not complain to. After all, capturing performances and speeches was easier than waiting and searching for a candid audience reaction to capture. Or so he thought.

Steve was part of the school paper for all his high school life. His art and photography skills were deemed exceptional for his age by the past two editors-in-chief who preceded Pepper, and invited him to be a part of the team. With his experience, Steve can say that he was never _and_ can never be distracted from his work, but of course there was a first of everything.

He hadn't meant to put down his camera and just watch the performance of the ballet dancers, truly. But there was something mesmerizing about the girl leading the dance. Maybe it was because of her red hair, untied unlike the others, following her every move? Maybe it was because of the way her green eyes lit with passion as she danced? Maybe it was because of her inate gracefulness that unknowingly hypnotizes her audience with every turn she made? Steve will never know. The only thing he was sure about was that this girl, _this passionate red-haired ballerina_ , was the main source of his distraction, and yet he could not make himself regret that she was.

"I love you and all Steve, (Hey!) Shush, Tony. But I really need some pictures of the dance. It was our first assembly, and that ballet performance was the most applauded so we really need it and -" Pepper was cut off by a late Peter Parker barging in the conference room.

"Sorry - _huff -_ I'm late - _huff_ \- forgot - _huff -_ meeting," he barely got out. When he finally caught his breath, Peter noticed the tense atmosphere. "What happened? Are you mad 'cause I'm late? I'm sorry, Pepper! I promise I -"

"Steve has no shots of the ballet performance," she cut him off. "And I'm not mad, kid."

"Oh, that's not a problem, I have some! All the students' reaction of that performance was open-mouthed awe so I just took the most amusing ones then photographed some parts of the dance. It's not as good as Steve's shots, nothing is, but maybe that's better than nothing?" Peter inquired while taking a seat next to Wanda, who was in front of Steve.

Pepper perked up from this and was noticeably relieved. "Oh, thank God, Peter. Send the pictures to Wanda, she's the one writing about the performances. Maybe you can send it to me too?"

Steve unconsciously tuned Pepper out, staring at a distance and thinking about his _distraction_ until Wanda stomped on his foot. The corner of her mouth smirked upward, as if she knows what _or who_ he's been thinking about. _Wanda's really gonna grill me later._

"And Bruce, the elimination rounds for the campus science fair will be held on Friday, I need you and Steve to cover that. Steve, no more distractions please?"

"I promise, Pepper." _That ballet dancer's_ _probably not even going to be there, of course I won't be distracted_ , he thought.

"Great! I'll hold you on that. Now, Sam and Clint, you're in charge of sports. The try-outs also start on Friday. Peter, you go with them. Tony and I will just alternately go back and forth the fair and the try-outs. Any questions, or suggestions to add?" As always, the editor-in-chief always took Steve's breath away. She was always efficient, organized, and quick. Definitely a big contrast against Tony. _Opposites do attract,_ he mused.

Their silence prompted Pepper to end the meeting early. None of them had anything to ask or say as of the moment, and they could always contact Pepper through phone calls and text messages if the need arises anyway.

They all scrambled out of the room, with Wanda trailing after Steve. "So, distracted, huh?"

"I know, I know. It's stupid. I've photographed for all my life and suddenly I became distracted? It's ridiculous," he explained to Wanda.

In response, the girl only smiled knowingly. "I'm not talking about you being distracted, I'm talking about the lead ballet dancer being the cause of your distraction." Steve's ears blushed a shade of pink, with him thinking, _Wanda's amazing sense is really something._

"What distraction?" Steve's best friend, Bucky Barnes interjected. _Where did he even come from?_ As of reading his thoughts, Bucky explained his sudden appearance. "I was near the conference room when you two got out. You didn't even notice me," he pouted.

Steve sighed. Wanda teasing him was one thing, but with Bucky, the two brought the word _prodding_ to a whole new level. "It's nothing, Buck."

"Don't listen to him, he's got a crush," Wanda turned to Bucky, suddenly noticing his somewhat disheveled look. "And what happened to you? You look like a mess," she said, referring to Bucky's appearance. Steve was glad of the sudden change of topic.

"Oh! That's what I was supposed to tell you two. You know, that childhood friend I told you two before?" He looked at Steve and Wanda expectantly. When it was clear that the two are still confused, Bucky rolled his eyes.

"You know, that Russian friend I told you about? She transferred and would permanently stay here," he excitedly said.

"I really can't remember," Steve replied, though there was something nagging his mind that he _should._ He could also see a small cloud of jealousy on Wanda's eyes when his best friend mentioned the word girl.

 _Honestly, these two have no right to question me and my non-existent love life when they can't even sort out their "hidden" feelings for each other_.

"You two really have the memory of an old person. She's red haired, has green eyes," Bucky described exasperatedly.

"Sounds like Mary Jane Watson."

"Why would MJ suddenly come from Russia, Steve? Oh! I know just the thing you'll know her from. She's the one who led the ballet performance yesterday, do you remember now?"

 _Oh._

"That's Steve's crush!"

 _Well, damn._

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 **High School AU requested by Sportsfan64. I'm planning to write a 2nd part for this. Also, it's not quite an i-like-you-ever-since-we're-children AU but I have another one-shot draft centered on that, so I hope this will suffice for now. Thank you for your prompt/s! :)**

 **Also, thank you to all the reviewers and those who followed and faved this story. I appreciate it so much.**


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